Wild at Heart
by JoeyBear1424
Summary: As the wolves all stalked the cattle Bilbo wandered towards the back of the house where trash sat. Her stomach gave a grumble as Bilbo knocked the can over and dug through the discarded food and items. Bilbo ignored the stench in favor of shoving food into her mouth: muffins, carrots, apple slices. Stale, mushy, it didn't matter. This was food and it was what she needed. Fem!Bilbo
1. Chapter 1

In the Shire there sits a smial, empty of any occupants. Hobbits pass by it every day but they never stop. They scurry by with their heads down, clutching their groceries a little tighter and pulling their children a little bit faster. Bag End sits empty day after day, its occupants claimed by the Fell Winter.

Bungo had been the first one claimed; ambushed by a wolf that had stalked him as he ran door to door. The next had been Belladonna, snatched up by an orc. She screamed, once. Twice and then made no more sound as the orc dropped her dead body on the ground. As for their daughter, not a hobbit liked to talk about that. When the wolves had abandoned the Shire, the orcs slaughtered by the rangers, the hobbits crept forth from their smials. As the carnage was cleared one question was on everyone's lips: 'where's their daughter? Where is the last remaining member of the Baggins family?' The rangers had shared looks as they began to search for the body, for any signs the child was alive. There was nothing recovered except for a dirty hair ribbon and a shred of clothing. It was concluded by the Shire that Bilbo Baggins was gone.

There was a grave made for her right alongside her parents. But there was no body to be buried. The house was locked up and untouched by any relatives who all gazed upon the house with worry as if waiting for one of the Baggins to pop out of their house. But nobody went in and nobody came out. Relatives mourned for the loss of their family and wondered often what happened to the child. But eventually they too moved on.

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><p>Far away from the Shire Bilbo Baggins was alive. She sat on the ground with wide eyes as the wolves sniffed her. The wolf that had taken her, a female with silvery gray fur kept sending warning growls each time another came too close. The wolf pauses every few moments in her growls to nose at Bilbo's hair and lick her face. Bilbo sat silent, unsure of what to do or what to say. As the other hobbits had run from the wolves and the orcs, screaming for help Bilbo had sat on the ground, her knees pulled to her chest. As the orc loomed over her, weapon raised to deliver a deadly blow Bilbo had screamed, throwing her arms over her head. The blow never came but a fierce snarling had. A wolf stood above the orc, teeth stained black as she backed away from the orc. The wolf then turned its attention on Bilbo. It stalked towards her, nose twitching as she stuck her muzzle into Bilbo's curls. The wolf had stood like that for several seconds before it gave a snort. It picked her up by the back of her shirt and ran. The wolf's grip was not threatening but not exactly loose either as she ran from the Shire. Bilbo had screamed but her own screams were drowned out by the chaos. She stared back at the Shire with a sinking heart as the wolf ran. It had returned her to her pack where she was now being scrutinized by the others.<p>

Bilbo's unsure of what exactly the wolves had been looking for but they seemed satisfied as they all backed off. The one that had taken her noses her towards a pile of other wolves. They sniff at her for a couple moments before settling back down, eyes closed. Bilbo lay awake for a long time, her fingers buried into the wolf's fur until finally she fell asleep.

The next morning Bilbo's awakened by the heavy, metallic scent of blood. Bilbo nearly vomited at the scent as a piece of meat was shoved towards her. Bilbo sniffed at it and winced away from it even as the wolves pushed it closer and closer. When Bilbo still refused to touch it they stopped persisting, taking it for themselves. As they settled down to eat Bilbo took her chance and grabbed a handful of red clover, devouring it. It was inevitable she knew to go without meat but the idea of eating it raw and bloody had her stomach churning. The wolves kept offering day after day. Each time Bilbo would search desperately for some sort of berries or flowers to eat. The solution to her problem would come when they came near a farm.

As the wolves all stalked the cattle Bilbo wandered towards the back of the house where trash sat. Her stomach gave a grumble as Bilbo knocked the can over and dug through the discarded food and items. Bilbo ignored the stench in favor of shoving food into her mouth: muffins, carrots, apple slices. Stale, mushy, it didn't matter. This was food and it was what she needed. She'd just grabbed hold of a half-eaten chicken leg when the cries of the farmer alerted her. Bilbo abandoned the trash can in favor of following the wolves that were running away. The farmer stood there long after the wolves had disappeared, wondering if he'd truly just seen a little girl running along with them.

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><p>Slowly Bilbo learned ways of survival and slowly she began to shed the teachings of her past life. When the other wolves gathered into piles to sleep Bilbo often settled in the middle, fingers clutched around some fur as she slept. When they neared towns or farms Bilbo would ignore the livestock in favor of digging through garbage. As they fled she would run alongside them, howling and snarling.<p>

As she grew her clothes stretched until they were too tight. Before she might have cared about the blood, dirt and filth encrusted on her clothes and skin. Before she might have fussed and worried about shedding her clothes in favor of going naked. But out here Bilbo had no cares about propriety and shed her clothes, abandoning them near a pile of bushes as she ran after the pack. She alternated between walking upright and on all fours. Without any care her curls grew long, hanging down her back, caked with blood, fur and dirt. Her skin tanned from being outside, her body lean.

When the day came that the female who'd saved her passed away Bilbo howled mournfully right along the others. She couldn't remember the words she'd learned before, communicating instead with nuzzles, growls and whines. There were moments she tried to remember her life before this all but it was a blur and slowly she stopped trying to remember. She abandoned trying to remember her old life in favor of staying alive and the habits of her pack. They ate together, slept together and worked together as they travelled further and further. They'd gone through water in a search for more food in the mountains. They walked slowly, legs burning with exhaustion. Bilbo's own vision was blurred, the need for sleep desperate.

It's in the mountains that the goblins come. Bilbo's nestled among a pile of wolves when the first delighted cries come. Bilbo darts up from where she lay and ran after the others, teeth bared. She clawed, bit and kicked, goblin blood coating her skin. Goblin after goblin is slayed. But it all stops at the pained shriek of their alpha male. He lay on his side and pants as goblins neared him. The look in his eyes was a clear one that screamed for them to run. And they do, scattering in an attempt to save their lives as the goblins overran them. With every howl and shriek Bilbo runs faster until the cries faded.

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><p>Bilbo slows down to a crawl as the cries fade into nothing. Her fingers burn from clinging to the fur of a wolf from their wade through the river; goosebumps covering her skin as she collapses on the ground. There's no one else to curl up with, nobody to flop on as she collapses into a pile of furs. There's nobody left but her. It's with that thought Bilbo curled up into a ball, her arms wrapped around her legs as she fell asleep.<p>

The sun is setting when she hears the snort of a horse. Bilbo sits up sharply, eyes narrowed as the sound grows louder. She pulls her lip back and gives a warning growl. Satisfaction blooms in her stomach at the sound of the horse's nervous whinny.

"It's okay. Nothing but some goblins and those are all dead." A man's voice mumbles. Bilbo crouches there; teeth bared as the sound of hooves get closer and closer until she lets out a howl. The horse lets out a terrified snort followed by the sound of hooves pawing at the ground. There's some cursing and then the sound of heavy boots nears her. Bilbo shifts anxiously, heart thumping as a man rounds the corner, blades in hand. He stops shorts as he sees Bilbo, his grip on his sword loosening ever so slightly.

He's not tall as a human but he stands taller than Bilbo. His hair is a thick mane of flaxen blonde hair. There's hair on his face as well with two small braids hanging by his mouth. He wears a coat lined with fur which Bilbo growls at, backing away.

"What are you doing out here?" The man whispers and takes another hesitant step towards Bilbo. At her growl he sets his swords down, holding his hands palm up. "Do you speak the common tongue?" When Bilbo does nothing but continue her growling he sighs, lowering his hands.

"I guess not. Well—I'm Fili, son of Vili. I don't know who you are but you can't stay out here. Oh, my uncle is going to kill me." Bilbo crawls towards him, tugging on his hand until he finally kneels down to her level. She presses her nose to the fur lining the coat and gives a growl, staring at him. Understanding dawns in Fili's eyes as he tugs the coat off. Bilbo hums, holding his arm as she sniffs him. Fili tenses but says nothing as she sniffs at his hair, his neck and grabs his face, tilting it back and forth. Satisfied Bilbo backs away. Fili looks down then flushes a bright red, clearing his throat as he looks away.

"I have a blanket with my pony….I'll cover you up until we get to Erebor. I'll try and think of something to tell uncle in the meantime." Fili grumbles and begins making his way back down the path. Bilbo hesitates, frowning at the jacket as she jumps over it and follows after Fili.

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><p>I got this idea as I was laying down to take a nap. I've got no idea who Bilbo will end up with or what the relationships will be. I do know that Bilbo will be very territorial of some dwarves and attempt to groom a couple. And this is an AU: Smaug never happened so Erebor never fell.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Bilbo grabs hold of Fili's hair and holds it to her nose. He smells heavily of pipe smoke and the musky scent of sweat. He's spent most of the ride stiffening up with his shoulders hunched each time she grabs his hair. But he makes no moves to bat her hand away or shove her off. Bilbo fidgets, sniffing the blanket around her shoulders and then sniffing Fili once again. She grunts, tugging on one of his braids. Fili turns his head and Bilbo tugs on one of his braids again then the blanket.

"What?" Fili's eyebrows furrow as Bilbo grunts again, poking his shoulder and then tapping the blanket. "Oh….It's mine but you can borrow it for now. I'll get you some clothes when we get inside." Fili whispers. In front of her Fili stiffens and she hears him grumble. Bilbo peers around Fili to see a new figure striding towards them, fury clear on their face.

"You're late," The figure striders closer; hands on their hips as she glares at Fili. "I've been worried sick." Bilbo lets out a warning growl just for Fili to reach back and pat her awkwardly through the blanket.

"None of that. It's just my mother." Fili says. The figure stops short, their eyes narrowed as they take in Bilbo. Their face has sharp features, a strong pointed nose and square jaw lined with dark stubble, braided with jewels and beads. Bright blue eyes stare at her with a scrutinizing gaze before they turn on Fili.

"I don't believe your uncle asked you to pick up a girl on the way home from the Iron Hills. For your sake I hope that she's dressed beneath that blanket." Fili fidgets nervously, clearing his throat as Bilbo scoots closer.

"I found her naked." Fili practically squeaks.

"Well then," The figure takes a step forward, pausing as Bilbo glares. "Bring her inside and take her to one of the guest rooms. I'll get a bath ready and see what we can do." Fili urges his pony on, craning his neck to look at Bilbo.

"That was my mother, Dís. No growling at her." Fili's tone is stern and leaves little room for argument. Bilbo doesn't understand but nods and earns a smile from him. He dismounts from his pony and holds his arms out. Bilbo ignores them in favor of jumping off the saddle, landing on all fours. Fili sighs, motioning for her to follow him. Bilbo runs after him, pausing every few moments to sniff at the ground and nudge the back of Fili's legs.

"You're a strange one, do you know that?" Fili asks as he leads her down a hallway. Bilbo pauses in the hallway, fear creeping up her chest. The hallway is dark, the stone cold beneath her feet. Fili pauses and looks back at her, eyebrows raised. Bilbo lets out a high pitched whimper, scrambling away from him.

"Nobody's going to hurt you. Come on now." Fili's voice is soft, the smile on his face calm as he kneels down. The smile is short lived as a new voice echoes throughout the hallway.

"Brother is it true? You've brought home a naked, wild girl." Someone comes up behind Fili, throwing their arms around his neck. Unlike Fili the hair on his face is thinner and his hair dark, hanging without braids. As his eyes land on Bilbo his face nearly splits apart in a grin.

"Is that her?" He asks and steps around, running eagerly towards Bilbo.

"Kili, don't," Fili's warning comes too late as Bilbo scrambles away from him, whines escaping her mouth as she backs into a corner. Kili stops short, his eyes wide.

"What did I do?" Kili whispers.

"She doesn't speak the common tongue. Or at least I think she doesn't. But please for Mahal's sake don't shout or run at her. I promised her that nothing would hurt her." Fili drops to his knees, crawling towards Bilbo. He pauses a few feet away from her, hands lifted.

"I won't hurt you and neither will that idiot. He's just excited." Fili's voice is quiet as he extends a hand forward. Bilbo leans forward, sniffing tentatively at his hand. She gives a snort, nuzzling his palm.

"Are you going to give her clothes?" Kili asks.

"No Kili, I thought I'd let her run through the mountain naked."

"I've got a bedroom ready for her. Come on Kili, give him space." Dís says, coming up behind her son and pulling him away. Fili sits down across from Bilbo, a small smile on his face as Bilbo nuzzles his palm.

"Come with me. It'll be quiet." Fili promises. Bilbo follows after him slowly, her eyes flickering back and forth until they reach a bedroom. Fili leads her past the bed and dresser into the bathroom where Dís stands at a tub.

"All right," Fili nods towards the water. "Get in." Bilbo looks from him to the tub, shifting nervously on the floor. Dís snorts, shaking her head as she lifts a bottle and pours it into the bathwater. Bilbo's mouth drops open, a coo escaping her lips as bubbles begin to rise into the air. She sheds her blanket in favor of nearing the water. She touches a bubble, letting out a squeal as it pops. Bilbo reaches out for Fili's hand, pointing at the bubbles. Fili backs away from her though, one hand clapped over his eyes. Dís sighs, putting her hands on his shoulders and steering him from the room.

"I'll be right out here." Fili calls, leaving the door ajar. Bilbo stares at the door then Dís who sits on the edge of the tub, her dress pulled up to her knees. Her face is unreadable as Bilbo edges towards the tub, lifting a foot and staring at Dís who remains motionless. When she dips a foot into the water and Dís still remains silent Bilbo slides down into the tub. As her hands land on the bubbles she lets out a squeal, splashing the surface. Water sloshes over the edge of the tub, landing on the floor. Coos and squeals escape from her mouth with each pop, each splash and each bubble that lands on her skin.

"So tell me my son. Where did you find this girl?" Dís asks as Bilbo splashes.

"I found a pack of slaughtered goblins along with a wolf. I found her a couple miles away from their bodies."

"Does she speak?"

"She speaks in growls, glares and nuzzling if that counts."

"Ah, so she communicates like your uncle," Dís smiles at Bilbo. "She will need to be looked over by Óin."

"I'm doubtful she'll allow that." Fili's sigh makes Bilbo pause and she looks towards Dís worriedly.

"He's okay." Dís gives her a smile and reaches for a bottle off to the side. Distracted by the bubbles Bilbo allows Dís to wash her hair. The layers of dirt and grime on her skin wash off to reveal tanned skin which Bilbo stares at in wonder as Dís stands up, her legs dripping wet as she reaches for a towel.

"Amad—she's awfully quiet. What did you do?" Fili demands as Dís holds out the towel to Bilbo. She buries her nose in the towel, fingers clutching at it. It smells clean, heavy with the fresh scent of crisp mountain air.

"I'm not doing anything." Dís promises as Bilbo pulls the towel from her arms. "Though I think we'll need some more towels." Bilbo ends up clutching two different towels to her chest as Dís coaxes her from the tub. Fili sticks a hand clutching a nightgown into the room which Dís promptly grabs and once more holds out to Bilbo. Bilbo stares at it with curiously, fingers rubbing the thin fabric. She can faintly remember clothes from a very long time ago, too tight and clinging to her skin. Nothing like this though; the fabric thin and silky. Bilbo fingers it for a moment then pushes it away.

"I'm going to need a big blanket." Dís says and once more Fili's arm reaches into the room, clutching a bundle. Bilbo allows herself to be wrapped up in the blanket, rubbing at the fabric and burying her nose into it as she crawls back into the room. She makes a beeline for Fili who sits on the floor, a pipe clenched between his teeth.

"So there is something beneath all that dirt," Fili smiles at her as she rolls onto her back, a purr echoing in the otherwise silent room. "What are we going to do about her hair?"

"It's nothing but tangles and knots. I would brush it but I'm doubtful she would sit long enough to let me. I'm afraid the only option we have is to cut it." Dís looks pained as she says it, staring at the curls that drip down her back.

"We'll have to wait and see." Fili mutters.

"Did you see anyone else? Any signs at all that there was someone else?" Dís asks.

"There was blood and fur everywhere but no signs of anyone else." Fili shrugs.

"Tharkûn is due for a visit here in a couple days. Perhaps he can shed some light on this little creature." The door creaks open, revealing a sheepish looking Kili who holds a plate of food.

"I promise to be quiet." Kili says as he steps into the room. Bilbo stares at him with narrowed eyes as he edges towards her.

"Just set it down and slide it over." Fili advises. The plate slides across the stone floor and the room is silent as Bilbo sits up, eyes wide as she pounces on the plate. She scrambles for the food, shoving handful after handful into her mouth. The food tastes different than the one she's found at other's houses. It smells strong, the scent fresh. There's no staleness in the bread, the meat free of the stink of garbage. Juice dribbles down her chin as she shoves piece after piece into her mouth, pieces of food landing on her blanket. Bilbo lets out satisfied sighs, ignoring the startled sound that comes from Kili as she kicks the plate away.

"I'll get some more food." Kili mutters.

"Bring two plates." Fili says as Bilbo sucks on her fingers.

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><p>Thank you so much to Emylound; Haley-Belle; Snowbirdrose; Tommy14; Philomel Magica; EquusGold; SakuraDragomir; Knowing Grace; Nori'sLilThief; GraffitiArtist14; Einld; EverydayMagic17 and Oh My Cabbage for the follows and favorites! They are greatly appreciated!<p>

Thorin should make an appearance in the next chapter. I have plans for how Bilbo will interact with each of the dwarves and I know with Thorin there will be challenges. She is going to become very territorial over Fili and Ori, I can tell everyone that much.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much to Mollyjean; CrazyFanGirl18; RoseJustice; Akcul; Siela77; Captain's doxy; SneakyTurtle; Mizum-san; The Child Who Cried Blood; Wraven; Child of Taboo and meanlilbean for the follows and favorites they are greatly appreciated!

Warning: non-graphic vomiting mentioned in this chapter. Just in case that's a squick for anyone.

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><p>It takes three plates of food before Bilbo's full. As she's licking the final plate clean the door creaks open, Kili peeking his head inside.<p>

"I think she's full." Fili says from his spot by Bilbo.

"Ah, it's not that." Kili says as someone new shoves their way into the room. Bilbo pauses in her licking to clutch the plate to her chest, glaring up at the newcomer. His hair is a long, thick, ebony hanging down his back with streaks of silver. His face is angular, his nose pointed. His eyes are a sharp, icy blue which seem even icier as they glare at her. Everything about him screams alpha male as the others seem to be cowed by him all except for Dís who comes to stand between him and Bilbo.

"If you shout then I'm going to boot you out of this room." Dís warns. The man growls, his teeth gritting as he glares at Fili.

"It kind of slipped out…" Kili mutters apologetically.

"It slipped out that Fili found a naked woman and snuck her into the mountain like some sort of prize." The man snaps and Fili seems to cower under the glare.

"Excuse me, some sort of prize? Thorin Oakenshield I should throw you from this very mountain right now. He found her alone and decided to bring her here to help her. Should we be thankful it was not you who found her? Would you have just left her?" Dís thunders. Her voice is booming, echoing throughout the room. It reverberates off the stone and effectively silences the man, Thorin who looks at her abashed.

"Is she healthy?" Thorin finally asks after a long, heavy silence.

"From what I can tell she's healthy. It probably would not hurt to have Óin take a look at her. She's grown quite attached to Fili. I think she'll be trailing him around like a baby duck."

"When the wizard arrives we will have him attempt to speak with her. Perhaps he can get some answers from her. Until then Fili she's your responsibility. Tomorrow we'll have Dori come and take her measurements and see if she'll wear clothes." Thorin looks back towards Bilbo only to find her scowling at him, her teeth bared.

"I was not joking when I said that she's grown quite attached to Fili." Dís chuckles, kneeling beside Bilbo. She combs her fingers through Bilbo's hair, leaning close to her ear.

"It's all right my dear. You'll find that you two speak the same language." Her words do little to reassure Bilbo who snarls. Thorin narrows his eyes, puffing his chest out and growling. Dís only smiles at the exchange as she straightens up, nodding towards her brother.

"See? You two speak the same language." Dís laughs as her brother turns and stomps from the room, the door slamming behind him. She hums, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking up a brush. She gestures for Fili to settle Bilbo between her legs, her grip on the brush loose as Fili points towards her.

"My amad is going to brush your hair. Here, see brush it." Bilbo allows Fili to uncurl her fingers and brush them through her own hair. Her fingers don't make it very far however though before catching on a knot and she pulls her hand away with a growl of displeasure. Fili sits back on his haunches, his brow furrowed.

"How do I make you understand?" Fili mutters, bringing his hand to his mouth. He hums thoughtfully, licking his lips. His tongue grazes his knuckles and Bilbo purrs, grabbing his arm and pulling it to her. Her tongue darts out, licking the back of Fili's hand. From Fili comes a startled squeak as Kili begins to laugh.

"Ah, yes—my amad is going to groom you." Fili manages as Bilbo continues her licking. He looks uncomfortable but smiles, chuckling as her eyes dart from his hand to his face. Behind her comes a gentle tugging as Dís begins to brush it out. With each snag Bilbo pauses, her tongue hovering over Fili's skin until the knot or tangle has been brushed out. When she finally drops his hand Fili sighs until she grabs his other hand and pulls it to her mouth.

"Your turn will be next." Fili grumbles as his brother continues to laugh. And sure enough Bilbo scoots Fili from the space in front of her, glaring at the now empty spot until Kili takes his seat.

"Oh, what a good lass." Dís smiles after she hits a particularly nasty tangle and Bilbo doesn't growl at her."

"Only because I'm letting her groom me," Kili grumbles as Bilbo grabs his cheeks between her hands, licking his forehead. "Do I have to do this?"

"Only for a few minutes longer." Dís promises. In the end it's more than a few minutes as Bilbo attempts to keep turning around and groom Dís. The woman is patient, allowing Bilbo to lick her hand before turning her head around.

"I don't think she'll sleep in the bed." Fili mumbles as Dís reaches the end of Bilbo's curls.

"I don't think she'll sleep on the couch either." Kili mutters from his spot on the couch where he sits rubbing at his forehead.

"Kili, I want you to grab some sheets and blankets. As many as you think is necessary. And bring them back here please." Dís instructs.

"No furs." Fili calls as his brother leaves the room. When Kili returns it's with an armful of sheets and blankets which Dís takes from his arms, piling on the floor. She expertly spreads them out, making a thick nest. Bilbo leans against Fili's arm, watching it proceed with curious eyes. She yawns heavily; nuzzling his arm as Dís pats the makeshift bed.

"Lay her down." Dís's voice is a whisper as Fili scoops her up bridal style. As her back touches the blankets Bilbo reaches out, wrapping her arms around Fili's neck with a vicelike grip. Fili throws Dís a helpless look who only shrugs, settling down on the other side of Bilbo.

"Just lay down." Dís whispers, giving his arm a squeeze. Bilbo keeps his eyes on Fili, her grip relaxing ever so slightly as he does. It's not the same as lying among her pack. There's no fur pressing in on both sides, no musky scent of wolf. There are no paws pressing into her sides, no snouts buried into her neck. Overall, it leaves Bilbo with a deep sense of loneliness. She curls up tightly, a whine escaping her throat.

"Amad?" Fili's voice is nervous, uncertain.

"It's okay. Just rub her back." Dís's fingers run over her brow and down through her hair. Fili's hand is more uncertain as it runs up and down her back. Bilbo reaches out with a hesitant hand, clutching for something to hold besides the blankets. She clutches the fabric of Dís's skirts, scooting away from Fili in favor of moving closer to the woman who begins to hum. Dís's fingers are sure and steady in their combing, her humming low and throaty and slowly lulls Bilbo to sleep.

When Bilbo awakens it's to vicious cramps, her stomach bloated and aching. Her surroundings are unfamiliar and she lets out a pitiful whimper as she scrambles across the makeshift bed in search of fur, paws and snouts.

"Hey, what's the matter?" A sleepy voice mumbles, groaning as her knee connects with their hand. There's a flurry of movement behind her and Bilbo hears the shifting of fabrics as someone sits up.

"Amad, I think there's something wrong." Fili mutters as Bilbo clutches her stomach. Dís sits up with her braids askew, her eyes alert as she looks around the room.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Bilbo groans then hiccups as she gags and the food, all the lovely food she ate earlier makes a reappearance. Dís sighs, wrapping her arms around Bilbo and standing her up.

"Come on; let's go to the bathroom now. Come on." Dís says, guiding her towards the bathroom. Behind her Fili looks around uncertain of what to do, his shirt tugged up over his nose as the sounds of retching come from within the bathroom.

"Amad, what do I do about the mess?" Fili calls.

"Don't worry about it right now. I'll get it here in a second. Wake your brother up and fold up the blankets. Dori and Ori will be here anytime." Kili still lies on the couch snoring, his limbs sprawled out haphazardly, completely unaware of the chaos going on around him.

"Is she okay?" Dís stares at Bilbo's back as the girl continues retching into the sink, her hand rubbing small circles on the girls back.

"She'll be okay. I think she just ate too much." Bilbo gives a sniff, wiping at her mouth as she straightens up. A bitter taste lingers in her mouth and her stomach still churns a bit as she stares up at Dís.

"Guess you're all cleaned out huh?" She asks sympathetically. The whine Bilbo lets out is one part annoyed, one part hunger. "You'll have to be measure for clothes this morning but then after that we'll get you some more food, okay?" From outside the bathroom comes the sound of knocking accompanied by Fili's voice.

"Dori and Ori are here now." Fili calls.

"What are they doing here?" Kili's sleep muddled voice follows. Bilbo peers around the bathroom door to see Kili still on the sofa, his eyes half opened. The acidic, bitter smell of vomit still hangs in the air but Bilbo pays it no mind for the newcomers standing in the doorway. One has silver hair done in thick, intricate braids all kept away from his face, his clothes of deep, vibrant hues.

The newcomer next to him is smaller. The hair on his face is nowhere near as thick but looks softer, fluffier. His eyes are wide, giving him a somewhat startled expression as he looks around. What catches Bilbo's eye though is the baggy, knitted cardigan he wears that looks as soft as the fur of the pack. She doesn't give it a second thought; she wants to feel it and needs to know for herself. Dís is easy enough to slip past. She lets out a startled sound, calling for Bilbo to come back. Kili lets out a startled sound, sitting up from his spot on the couch as Fili makes a grab for her.

Bilbo leaps at the smaller newcomer, knocking him backwards. He lands with a squeak, his eyes wide as Bilbo rubs her nose against his sweater. It's softer than she imagined and she lets out a satisfied purr, scratching at his chest. Her feet are harder to manage as she attempts to balance on him, kneading at the fabric. Beneath her the newcomer just stares with wide eyes, his face flushed bright red. He eventually lets out a startled squeak, clapping hands over his eyes. Bilbo lets out a worried coo, trying in vain to pull his hands away from his eyes. Behind her the silver haired newcomer splutters, demanding to know what is going on while Kili roars with laughter.

"I'm sorry Dori, she doesn't understand. Come on Bilbo leave him alone. You can cuddle with Ori but you need to put on clothes first. Or at least a blanket." Dís mumbles. Beneath her the newcomer, Ori lets out a groan as Bilbo leans down and begins grooming his face.

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><p>Hehe, poor Ori. I just love Ori, he's so cute and doesn't get enough love in the fanfiction community with his knitted clothes and slingshot and little beard. Now just picture a naked Bilbo who is so innocent on top of him, kneading his sweater and purring while Dori has a fit and Bilbo just doesn't realize what she's doing wrong.<p>

I've got a week of break left which means updating as much as I cna between now and when I go back to school. Also I would like to adress some things:

I usually update depending on my schedule. The winter is really not a good time for me. It kind of breaks me down health problems wise with joint pain, Raynaud's and migraines. It doesn't help that our furnace has been out of commission since about October. The elecrticity in our bathrooms has also been out and just recently came on but is now out yet again. Waiting to get a bill on how much a new breaker box will cost us and then we'll hopefully get a furnace guy out here.

I'm bumping my school hours up from twelve to fourteen hours and taking two lab classes. And even though I only have two classes a day, my brother will be going to school with me as well now. So I may be at school all day long even after I've finished classes. I'll try and write sometimes while I'm at school but can't make any promises that I'll be able to.

Updates will probably be taking a huge lull overall and for that I'm sorry. But I want to thank you all for the endless support and help that you've given me on this story.

Knowing Grace: Thorin and Bilbo will have more interaction together as the story progresses and thank you so much!

CrazyFanGirl18: Fili is a neglected character in my opinion. He's one of the main ones but still neglected by Thorin because he is the heir and more is expected of him than Kili.


	4. Chapter 4

It takes the combination of Dís offering her a piece of chocolate and a thick, wool blanket to lure Bilbo away from Ori. She shoves the chocolate into her mouth, chewing happily as the dwarrowdam wraps the blanket around her. As soon as the chocolates gone though she returns to Ori's lap; nuzzling her face against his beard with a purr.

"I'm so very sorry about this Dori." Dís sighs. The silver haired dwarf, Dori gapes at Bilbo, his cheeks slowly flushing a bright, ruddy red as she continues to nuzzle Ori.

"It's okay Dori. At least she's got some clothes on now; well it's a blanket but still. And besides…She's not hurting me." Ori says though cringes as Bella licks his cheek. Dori sighs, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Very well then. Try and hold her still please so I can take her measurements." Ori gives Fili a tentative look. Fili merely shrugs, a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

"You're the chosen one Ori; I can't say that I'm not jealous that I'm no longer the favorite. But it's nice to be able to stand up and not have anyone licking at my forehead or smelling me." Ori sighs as Bilbo finally sits down in his now spread legs, holding her out to Dís. The dwarrowdam smiles as Bilbo glares at her, thrusting her hand at her once more.

"Chocolate isn't breakfast, it's just bribery. When we have breakfast this morning you'll get to meet a few more members of the family….And have real food." Dori who's measuring her arms chuckles, shaking his head.

"So are you using chocolate to bribe Thorin?" Dís snorts, rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm using the fact that I'm younger but I can twist his arm and that I am the one who really rules over Erebor." The conversation floats over Bilbo's head as she plays with Ori's hands. He's squishier than Fili she decides and less sturdy than Dís, hiding beneath layers and layers of fur. His hands are bigger than hers though, something she notes with fascination. Her hands are still filthy despite her bath yesterday, dirt still lingering under her nails. If Ori notices though, he doesn't say anything. He sits and lets her play with his hands, bending his fingers with hers and smiling at every coo and happy sound he earns until Dori backs away, nodding at Dís.

"I've got some things that'll fit her. What do you think would work better? Dresses? Trousers?"

"I think she'll trip over the skirt of the dress no matter how short it is. Trousers would be best and a tunic perhaps, no blouses with buttons or anything like that. Nothing that requires her to take herself in and out of them." Dori nods and with a final look at Bilbo turns and walks out of the room. Bilbo turns to face Ori, her lips a thin line as she pokes one of the freckles dotting his cheeks. Fili sits next to him, holding the blanket shut while Kili flanks Ori's opposite side with amusement clear on his face.

"She's easily amused. When we gave her a bath last night she treated bubbles like they were the Arkenstone." Dís says as Dori reenters the room, clothes draped over his arm.

"I brought a variety of colors and sizes. Let her decide what she likes best." Dori hands them over to Dís. She throws him a grateful look, nodding her thanks. Bilbo lets out an annoyed squeal as Ori stands up, reaching out for him only to be stopped by Dís.

"You'll see him at breakfast. Please Dori, would you go ahead and tell the others that we'll be along in a little bit?" Upon the men leaving the room Bilbo frowns at Dís. The dwarrowdam waves it off as she gently tugs her towards the bed where Dís drops the clothes.

"Now don't give me any of that growling. I'm not going to hurt you and it's not my first time helping someone get dressed who doesn't want to get dressed. Fili and Kili are my boys after all. And don't worry, you'll see Fili here again in a little bit." She steps back, allowing Bilbo to look over the clothes. The thin tunics are sniffled at just for her to toss them over her shoulders.

Bilbo pauses at a thicker tunic, rubbing it between her fingers. She holds it to her nose, inhaling deeply. It was not as thick as the fur of her pack and didn't hold the same scent. But it was close still. She holds it out to Dís with a grunt. She smiles, taking the tunic and dropping it over her arm as Bilbo digs through the trousers. Each one goes through the same test the tunics did until finally Bilbo holds out a pair.

Dís holds her arms up, face expectant until Bilbo copies the motion. Bilbo put in the dark for a moment as the fabric is slipped over her head. She's ready to growl at the fabric, tug it off and bite at it when Dís pulls the fabric down over her head. The tunic is warm though the feeling is strange. Bilbo runs her hands up and down the sleeves, confused sounds escaping her lips as Dís puts her first leg into the trouser.

The trousers are a bit more difficult. Bilbo twists around in an attempt to see what Dís is doing, tugging on the woman's braids as she tugs the pants up. She sighs as she finally tugs them up over Bilbo's hips and sets to tying them. Bilbo watches with rapt interest at how easily her fingers fly through the task. As she finishes the task Bilbo pats her atop the head. Dís straightens up, holding Bilbo's cheeks between her hands she leans forward and presses a kiss to her forehead. Bilbo stares at her in wonder as Dís steps away, smile on her face.

"There now. You're all prepared to have breakfast and meet some more of the family." Dís moves towards the door, Bilbo scurrying after her. They walk down the hallway together, Bilbo pausing to stare at the gaping servants who all gawk and whisper behind their hands. Dís glares at each of them until the servants turn a bright red, their faces ashamed as they scurry away. Eventually the only ones in the hallway are Dís and Bilbo, the only sounds the clinking of her beads and the scurrying of Bilbo's feet across the stone as she switches between four legs and walking upright.

"Ready to see Fili?" Dís asks as she opens up the doors. Bilbo doesn't bother looking for Fili as the door opens. She's hit in the face by a scent long forgotten that she once searched for in garbage cans: sausages, bacon. Crispy, greasy bacon. Bilbo scans the room for her prize, humming happily as she shifts back and forth. The source of the scent comes from the plate in front of a dwarf with a long, sweeping snow white beard.

"Ah, ah!" Fili cries as Bilbo reaches for the plate. He points at her, his eyes narrowed. Bilbo's hand hovers over the sausages, her eyes wide as she stares at Fili.

"I've already got your food. Come here." Fili holds up a plate for her, filled up with food. Bilbo lowers her hand to her side and Fili smiles, putting the plate down. Bilbo grins triumphantly, snatching up a piece of bacon which she promptly shovels into her mouth. Fili sighs as the others all laugh.

"I'm sorry about that Balin." Fili mutters as Bilbo reaches his side, looking at him expectantly. Balin merely shakes his head and smiles.

"It's quite all right Fili. As long as she gets her food." Bilbo sits on the floor next to Fili, still chewing happily.

"What is her name might I ask?" Fili looks sheepishly down at Bilbo.

"I don't know and it's not as if we can keep calling her 'the girl' or 'it' every time she does something." Fili says.

"I've read about her kind before…Big folk call them halflings but they prefer hobbits. So we could call her zantulbasn." Ori offers. Bilbo's ignorant to the gazes on her, the food in front of her as she scowls up at the person glaring down at her. Bilbo pulls her lip back, exposing her teeth to the broad shouldered man stepping too close to her food. His bushy eyebrows raise but he doesn't back away.

"Little food snatcher." The man finally mumbles, reaching down for one of sausages. Bilbo calmly leans forward, biting his arm. The man lets out a yelp of pain, yanking his thick arm back. Bilbo looks unimpressed as she lifts the sausage to her mouth, eyes alight with mischief.

"Yes, I think she'll fit right in with us. Don't you agree Dwalin?" Dís asks the man who continues to rub at his arm, grumbling. Bilbo canvases the table, snatching bits of bacon and sausages from plates.

"Can we take her to the market amad?" Kili asks, laughing as he lifts his fork in an attempt to keep Bilbo away from his food.

"I don't think that's such a good idea Kili. A lot of noise and sights and it's crowded." Dís warns but her son doesn't seem to notice as he scrapes his chair back, grabbing hold of Ori and tugging him along.

"It's okay. We'll take Ori with us and he can help us keep an eye on her." Kili calls over his shoulder. Fili groans, stuffing a final piece of bacon into his mouth and stuffing some food into his pockets as he runs after the two, Bilbo trailing after him.

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><p>I survived my first week of being back at college! And I have a three day weekend so I'm going to try and update as much as possible. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and again, let me hear your suggestions on what you would like to see.<p>

zantulbasn: hobbit

Thank you so much to frannybean94; MagnafloriousWorld; Shadow of the night1; kitsune-miko-witch; Mirrorsdeath17; Lead Owl; nounourse; bookworm182; animal8; zerofiran8; Lisilsasya; ERidge17; The - artistic - bookworm; jewel131415; IvyLestrange; otakufanficlover20 and oO Little OneOo for the follows and favorites! They are greatly appreciated!

RoseJustice: Yes, I plan for her to meet each of the company eventually.


	5. Chapter 5

Bringing the hobbit to the market is a terrible idea. Fili growls under his breath and spins around in a circle in an attempt to find her. She had done fine on their walk through the mountain, darting ahead occasionally to sniff or look at something. She would dart back to Fili, grunting and nudging his legs. Ori had written everything down or attempted to as he tried writing down all the noises she made and her behaviors. Ori stands beside him now with a distressed look on his face.

"Oh dear, I hope that she hasn't hurt herself." Ori mutters, tugging on his braids. Fili sighs and scans the market place once more, gnawing on his lip. It had all happened so suddenly. Fili had turned to look at something that Ori wanted him to look at him. When he turned around Kili was standing there with a pale face as he muttered that he lost the hobbit.

"I'm going to kill Kili either way." Fili all but growls. The hobbit could easily be mistaken for a child by some dwarves and with her inability to communicate. Fili winces at the thought of her sinking her teeth into someone like Dwalin this morning.

"Where would she go? I mean what would she be attracted to?" Ori asks.

"She likes bubbles, anything shiny I think. Soft things, she loves soft things."

"Let's try the fabrics then." Ori says and urges Fili forward. Kili walks behind them, his head down and his shoulders slumping. They hurry towards the vendors who sell fabrics, looking for any signs of that she was there, listening for any squeals, clicks, growls. Fili could understand now why his mother had never allowed him to have a pet. The hobbit hadn't even been here for a full two days and he had already lost her. With each stall they pass he feels more and more discouraged. Their questions about a hobbit are met with confused gazes and head shakes.

Fili sighs as yet another vendor shakes their head with a regretful look. They've searched every single fabric and food stall, looking even at the gems and have yet to see hide or hair of here.

"Maybe we should walk around again?" Kili offers weakly.

"Shush and listen." Ori says, looking around the market place. It's loud with dwarves talking to each other, shuffling feet and the occasional shout of a child. But under that he can hear a high pitched, excited squeal that ends in laughter. Fili gives Ori an affirmative nod and they rush together towards the stall.

Bifur and Bofur's stall does not have children around it like most days but it's louder than usual. Bofur is sitting with a broad smile on his face as he reaches towards something.

"Are you going to sit still now? Oh, oh, sit still." Bofur says and tugs his hat off his head, holding it out. There's a flash of skin and then a squeal. Fili sighs and rushes forward, relief blooming in his chest as he comes up to the stall. The hobbit sits on the ground, facing Bifur and clutching Bofur's hat to her chest.

"Bofur, oh thank Mahal. Has she been any trouble?" Fili asks.

"Who? Oh, you mean the little creature here? Aside from attempting to steal my hat she's been wonderful." Bofur's smile only widens as he looks down at the hobbit that still clutches his hat to her chest. Bifur watches her with a small smile beneath his beard. He reaches towards the hat only to jerk his hand back when she squeals.

"She just came out of nowhere and glared at Bifur. He started talking to her and she just let out this squeal and leaped over. She's quite a fan of him." Bifur snaps his fingers near her ear, chuckling as she turns her head towards the sound.

"Where did you find her?" Bofur asks, looking on as his cousin continues to play with her. Fili tells him the tale of what happened. Bofur looks worried at the thought of her being out there alone but bursts into laughter at the confession of her biting Dwalin.

"She reminds me of a cat I had as a lad. The creature was a feral beast, came around only when it wanted us to feed him then left again. Though she seems a little bit sweeter than the cat, what's her name?"

"No idea since she doesn't speak the common tongue. We've taken to calling her zantulbasn. It's like owning a cat in a way—a very needy, angry cat." Fili trails off, wincing as she nuzzles against Bifur's neck. The dwarf smiles at the action, lifting his hand to pat her atop the head.

"That's the first time she's done that. Ori's been held down by her for snuggling and she's licked me. Come on now, leave Bifur and Bofur alone." Fili reaches for her. She lifts her head away from Bifur's neck, looking between them with concern.

"Come on." Fili says more firmly and motions for her to follow after him. She lets out a whimper, bumping her forehead against Bifur's arm then scaling over the stall; knocking over a couple of toys on her way. Bofur doesn't look offended, plucking up a cat and a wolf from the toys knocked over. He holds them out to her, an easy smile on his face. She hesitates, looking at Fili and then reaching out. She accepts the toys with a purr, leaning her forehead down into his palm before turning back to Fili.

"Whatever we do, we don't look away from her this time." Fili mutters and keeps a hand on her shoulder as they make their way out of the market.

The walk back is uneventful except for her growling at someone getting too close to Ori. Back in the rooms Fili sighs and sinks into the armchair, watching as the hobbit sleeps on the nest of blankets, her limbs sprawled out. The maids had left moments ago, their noses wrinkled and their expressions one of twisted disgust as they cleaned up the mess left behind by the hobbit.

"It would seem that toilet training is on the list too, huh? We'll have to teach you how to eat properly, how to pace yourself and just how to talk. I wonder what your real name is, where you came from." Fili talks quietly, moving from the armchair to sit down beside her. She sleeps peacefully, her mouth slack as she snores. Fili reaches out to adjust the blankets, stopping short as he catches sight of the mark on her collarbone.

A long, ugly scar rests on her collarbone, stretching towards her shoulder and disappearing under her shirt. It's from a burn; one which he suspects didn't heal properly. Fili stares at it with confusion and disgust curling in his gut. He wonders if perhaps, whatever had caused this scar was the same thing that made her forget the common tongue. He's pondering this even as Óin steps through the door, carrying his medical bag with him.

"She's asleep." Fili warns as the healer crouches down beside her.

"Any outright health problems that you've noticed with the lass?" Óin asks as he begins examining her.

"She threw up this morning but she'd eaten a lot the night before. Can't speak the common tongue and isn't toilet trained."

"She's been through a lot by the looks of her. I'd prefer it did the lass gain a little more weight; she's not on the verge of starving but could do with gaining a few pounds."

"There's a scar there on her shoulder."

"Aye, it hasn't healed properly; doesn't seem that anyone even treated it. Lass has a lot of injuries it seems that either didn't heal properly or were never even bothered with any sort of treatments." Óin says, digging through his bag.

"Give this to the lass before meals and after. It should help with any upset stomach. And here's some ointment if any of her injuries start to bother her. If that doesn't work then send the lass to me." With that Óin packs up his things, leaving Fili alone with the hobbit once more. He's exhausted and wonders again about her past. How anyone could keep a constant eye on her, how anyone had that sort of energy. It was like having a much younger Kili around who never slept until he finally crashed and was always hungry. And if he didn't have food in his mouth then he was squealing, talking or growling. He sighs and flops down on the pillow next to her. If he's lucky then she'll sleep for another hour or two.

"Looks like I'll be skipping practice with Dwalin today." He mutters and sits up with a start as the hobbit rolls over, nuzzling his chest. She lets out a small growl, shuffling closer until her leg is hooked over his and her head under his chin.

"Definitely not going to make it." Fili mutters and closes his eyes, listening to the hobbit's even breathing as he attempts to fall asleep.

* * *

><p>I'm so sorry about the lull between updates. I got really, really, really bad writers block. I'm on spring break right now so hopefully, maybe we can get some more in before I go back to school.<p>

I've decided (kinda) on the pairing. It will not be Bilbo/Thorin. I like Bagginshield but there is a lot of it when really there are many, many opportunities for other pairings with this story. But yeah, anyways I've decided on it. Kinda. I'm still working on it.

So anyways as I was writing this, I realized that Bilbo, in all her time among living with the wolves probably saw at one point or another, two wolves mating. And she probably witnessed knotting. So when we eventually get to the sexy parts (much later down the road) she's probably going to be all worried about her partner and wonder what happened to them XD it was one of those moments you just close your eyes, put your head down and wonder what your life has come to.


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